Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Read this and after you are finished screaming obscenities, please read my comments.

Anti-Gay Bigots: Homos Are Bullying Us!

This takes the damn ass fucking cake, but it's no surprise to those of us on Twitter.

As the gay-rights movement advances, there's increasing evidence of an intriguing role reversal: Today, it's the conservative opponents of that movement who seem eager to depict themselves as victims of intolerance. To them, the gay-rights lobby has morphed into a relentless bully — pressuring companies and law firms into policy reversals, making it taboo in some circumstances to express opposition to same-sex marriage. "They're advocating for a lot of changes in the name of tolerance," said Jim Campbell, an attorney with the conservative Alliance Defense Fund. "Yet ironically the tolerance is not returned, for people of faith who don't agree with their agenda." Many gay activists, recalling their movement's past struggles and mindful of remaining bias, consider such protestations by their foes to be hollow and hypocritical.

Not agreeing over equal marriage is one thing. What these people are doing is quiet an other.
First I want to remind you that they are Hate Groups for repeatedly spreading known misinformation and out right lies against the LGBT population.
They use derogatory language at every turn. They rely on discredited "facts" and studies that are manipulated to fit their agenda. Several of the writers of these studies that they twist are coming forward to protest how the Hate Groups are using their findings.
They compare being gay with so many horrible things that I can't bear to write them. You all know what they are.
They blame us for everything under the sun that goes wrong, from the economy to natural disasters.

They say that homosexuals are worse than terrorists and should die. That homosexuals have no Family Values and want to make all their children homosexuals too. If homosexuals are allowed to marry, our kindergartners will be taught about homosexual sex. Homosexuals hate christians. Homosexuals hate God! Bullying is wrong...unless you want to tell a homosexual they are going to hell.

Got the picture?

Now you can lie all you want out here but you can not lie in court. The anti-marriage defence is lame at best and the courts keep finding in favor of fairness to all.

They are scared. They know they will loose. They will do or say anything to win including waving the religion card. The FACT that the Catholic church is dumping money into the "war" and every board member is catholic may have something to do with that. The Fact that they are fighting about disclosure of funding in several states raises some good questions.

Homosexuals are taking away your freedom of religion. You will not be able to spread the word that God hates homosexuals. Homosexuals want to take away your rights.

Now they are the victims?

I think the fact that the Supreme Court allows for Phelps and the WBC to continue to do their thing is proof that religious freedom is just fine. The only thing that will change is " If you receive public funds, you can not discriminate against the public." They can discriminate all they want as long as it is with their own money.

That we are "making it taboo in some circumstances to express opposition to same-sex marriage." That is not true. They can say what they want in their homes and house of worship. They can stand on the street corner and public protests.
There is no change in their freedom of speech or religion.

These Hate Groups want people to believe that exposing their lies, exposing their twisted "facts", exposing their hate toward gays, and proving that we are NOT all those nasty things is bullying.

Lama Surya Das, who contributed to the script of the Journey Into Buddhism films,
has written this brilliant new book. It is deeply wise and elegantly practical, and has the remarkable
quality of giving you both greater amounts of time and timelessness. A gift for anyone.

.

Lama Surya Das, who contributed to the script of the Journey Into Buddhism films,

has written this brilliant new book. It is deeply wise and elegantly practical, and has the remarkable

quality of giving you both greater amounts of time and timelessness. A gift for anyone.

“From early morning to late at night, from preschool to retirement, we rush through our lives in order to scrimp on time. But what if time did not control us? What if we felt that our time and our lives were our own? —

From Buddha Standard Time

HarperOne, an imprint of HarperCollins Publisher

May 2011 | Hardcover |$25.99 | ISBN: 9780061774560

Discover the Power of Living Fully in the Now

BUDDHA STANDARD TIME

Awakening to the Infinite Possibilities of Now

By Lama Surya Das

National Bestselling Author of Awakening the Buddha Within

Life in the 21st century moves at break-neck speed. Yet despite our slavish dependency on instant coffee, express buses, ATMs, and 140 character tweets, we’re all strapped for time and desperately wish for more hours in the day. What if someone had a solution for how busy and stressed out we’ve all become?

Now in BUDDHA STANDARD TIME: Awakening to the Infinite Possibilities of Now, Lama Surya Das, national bestselling author and one of the foremost Western Buddhist teachers, offers an alternative to the ceaseless hustle and bustle of modern American life.

The problem begins, Surya Das says, with our relationship to time—we experience it linearly by moving forward doing and accomplishing things. But we are human beings not human doings, and the thinner we spread ourselves the more disconnected we become. That leaves us vulnerable to high blood pressure, heart attacks, stroke, insomnia, digestive ailments, and depression. We must eschew the notion that stress will melt away if only we could adapt to the frenetic pace of life. Instead the aim is to experience the Eternal Now, or what Surya Das calls “Buddha Standard Time”— the realm of timelessness where every choice, every action, and every breath can be one of renewal and infinite possibilities.

With “Mindful Moments” exercises and “Time Out” meditations, Surya Das equips readers with tools to cure the “disease to please,” kick addictions, reconnect with nature, and gracefully embrace loss, sickness, and death. When we incorporate Buddha Standard Time, stress melts away, and we find greater focus, fulfillment, creativity and even wisdom. Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike will find inner peace and live more sanely and joyously by realizing we have all the time in the world.

“This book is Lama Surya Das in his most tone-perfect Western guru voice: authoritative, inviting, generous, funny, poetic, imaginative and informative and totally accessible. For newcomers to Buddhism (and non-Buddhists interested in universal wisdom!) and ‘old hands’ at practice, this is a delightful read. It promises nothing less than a liberated life, freed from the angst over the tyranny of time, though the practice of loving presence. The ‘To Do’ sections are remarkable interesting and inspiring.” — Sylvia Boorstein, author of Happiness Is An Inside Job

“Lama Surya Das is one of our best teachers of universal wisdom. Buddha Standard Time is fairly dripping with insights. It’s like a treasure to keep near you at all times.”

— Marianne Williamson, author of The Age of Miracles

“Buddha Standard Time is a welcome antidote to the often frenetic pace of modern life. Drawing from the broad scope of his poetic, social and scientific interests, as well as the great depth of his Buddhist training, Lama Surya Das offers a wise and sane way to navigate these times. This pragmatic book will be illuminating and helpful for anyone wishing to find the timeless amidst the rush of time.”

— Joseph Goldstein, author of One Dharma and A Heart Full of Peace

“A wealth of inspiration and practical tips for enjoying the Kingdom of God, the Pure Land of the Buddha, *now*.” — Bestselling author Thich Nhat Hanh

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lama Surya Das is the national bestselling author of Awakening the Buddha Within and Buddha Is As Buddha Does. A renowned Western Buddhist meditation teacher and scholar, he teaches and lectures around the world, conducting dozens of meditation retreats and workshops each year. Based on his relationship with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Surya Das founded the Western Buddhist Teachers Network and has organized three week-long conferences of Western Buddhist Meditation Teachers with the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, India. He also teaches regularly at Esalen, Open Center, Omega Institute, Interface, at universities in the United States and abroad.

Earlier this week I reported that the Archdiocese of Boston had moved to cancel a planned "All Are Welcome" Catholic mass in honor of gay Pride. Yesterday the Boston Globe reported that the local priest behind the idea is standing up to his bosses.

Sunday Mass at St. Cecilia’s Church in the Back Bay brought the first standing ovation any parishioner could remember. During the first Mass since the Archdiocese of Boston canceled one planned for next weekend in support of St. Cecilia’s gay and lesbian churchgoers, the Rev. John J. Unni preached a fiery message of unconditional love and what he called “acceptance of all." “You are welcome here, gay or straight, rich or poor, young or old, black or white,’’ Unni said as he paced up and down the center aisle. “Here, you all can say, ‘I can worship the God who made me as I am.’" Unni finished his homilies at the 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Masses to thunderous applause.

The "All Are Welcome" special mass remains canceled, but members of the Rainbow Ministry will gather on the sidewalk outside the church next Sunday.

"If Tracy Morgan is truly sorry for what he has done, then he should make the effort to learn the damage that is caused by homophobic parents and help to educate others about the terrible harm caused by parental rejection. He heard the crowd cheering him on. What if one of them has an LGBT child? I would advocate that his employer, NBC, join in this effort. Their power to reach millions is obvious. There is no more valuable effort that can be done for LGBT youth than to work to help them be loved and protected in their own homes." - Ali Forney Center executive director Carl Siciliano, writing for the Huffington Post.

RELATED: Morgan has agreed to meet with Siciliano and GLAAD.

During a call with GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios and members of GLAAD’s staff today, Morgan committed to meet this week in New York City with LGBT youth from the Ali Forney Center who have been hurt or left homeless by parental rejection as well as family members who have lost children to anti-gay violence. Those he will meet include Elke Kennedy, the founder of Sean’s Last Wish. Elke’s son Sean was killed by anti-gay violence in 2007 at the age of 20 in South Carolina, when another man called him a f*ggot and punched him so hard it broke his facial bones and separated his brain from his brain stem. Since that day, Elke has traveled more than 140,000 miles to speak in states across the country about hate violence and bullying. Morgan also committed to participate in GLAAD’s upcoming ‘Amplify Your Voice’ PSA campaign to combat anti-LGBT bullying.

Last year Seattle's iconic Space Needle flew the rainbow flag in recognition of gay Pride. But officials at the landmark said earlier this month that they would not be repeating the honor this year. That may change.

In response to a ground swell of support requesting the Rainbow Flag being raised again on Seattle Pride Weekend, the Space Needle has issued an exciting new fundraising challenge. If the community can raise $50,000 for 4 local charities, the Space Needle will raise the Rainbow Flag on Sunday of Seattle Pride weekend in Seattle. The Space Needle will also kick off the challenge with an inaugural donation of $5000.00.

The four beneficiaries of the campaign: Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA) Scholarship Program, Lambda Legal, It Gets Better for the Trevor Project and Mary's Place. Contribute here.

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California has declared DOMA to be unconstitutional. The ruling arises from a case in which a married gay couple was denied the right to jointly declare bankruptcy. Chris Geidner at Metro Weekly provides the court's money quote:

This case is about equality, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, for two people who filed for protection under Title 11 of the United States Code (Bankruptcy Code). Like many struggling families during these difficult economic times, Gene Balas and Carlos Morales (Debtors), filed a joint chapter 13 petition on February 24, 2011. Although the Debtors were legally married to each other in California on August 20, 2008, and remain married today, the United States Trustee (sometimes referred to simply as “trustee”) moved to dismiss this case pursuant to Bankruptcy Code § 1307(c) (Motion to Dismiss), asserting that the Debtors are ineligible to file a joint petition based on Bankruptcy Code § 302(a) because the Debtors are two males.

A coalition of LGBT groups including GetEQUAL and Truth Wins Out is demanding an apology from the Southern Baptists Convention. Q Notes has the press release:

“We call on the Southern Baptist Convention to stop misusing the Bible to promote religion-based bigotry and start recognizing the enormous pain and suffering caused by its mistreatment of LGBT people, particularly vulnerable youth,” said Dr. Jack McKinney, a former Southern Baptist minister and spokesperson for Faith in America. “History has not been kind to the Southern Baptist Convention’s record on minorities, and it is making the same awful mistake today by perpetuating abuse against gay people.”

“The anti-gay teachings of the Southern Baptist church nearly led me to suicide,” said Dr. Jerry Stephenson, a former Southern Baptist minister and board member for Truth Wins Out. “I entered an ‘ex-gay’ ministry that falsely claimed I could change my sexual orientation and this led to a deep depression. Only after I accepted my true self was I able to reconcile my faith and sexual orientation. The Southern Baptist Convention needs to apologize because its policies are hurting real people.” This petition drive is being organized by the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists, Believe OutLoud, Faith in America, GetEQUAL, Soulforce and Truth Wins Out.

Later today, at noon ET/9 AM PT, a federal judge in San Francisco will hear motion to overturn the Prop. 8 case because Judge Walker has a boyfriend. It's another pathetic, last-ditch effort by the increasingly desperate haters to thwart equality. Ted Olson and David Boies will be in the court room defending the Prop. 8 decision. We're still waiting for the California Supreme Court to answer the standing question (there's a hearing in September) before we get a decision from the Ninth Circuit. Yeah, it's procedurally complicated. But, the ultimate goal is a win for equality in the U.S. Supreme Court.

According to the NY Times, the federal case involving Prop. 8 is preventing movement on a 2012 marriage referendum in California.

But with a pending federal court case showing promise and major donors reluctant to step forward, it is unlikely that California voters will revisit same-sex marriage anytime soon.

“I’m not aware of a single donor who would support a ballot measure campaign,” said Chad Griffin, the co-founder and board president of the American Foundation for Equal Rights. “A ballot would be unwise, foolish and, in fact, dangerous.”

That danger, according to several leaders in the gay community, comes from the potential impact that a failed effort in 2012 could have on the federal case, which was brought in 2009 by Mr. Griffin’s group. Mr. Griffin, an experienced fund-raiser, hired the high-powered legal team of David Boies and Theodore B. Olson to pursue a constitutional challenge to the law, and last August, a federal judge — Vaughn R. Walker of the Federal District Court for the Northern District of California — sided with opponents of Proposition 8, finding that the voter-approved law violated constitutional guarantees of equal protection and due process.

But the legal machinations continue on several fronts: Judge Walker’s decision has been appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and on Monday, there will be a hearing before another district court judge regarding a motion to vacate Judge Walker’s decision because of his sexual orientation. (Judge Walker, who retired in February, is gay.)

Regardless of how the lower courts rule, most legal analysts believe the Boies-Olson case will eventually be decided by the United States Supreme Court. No one seems to want anything to happen outside the courtroom to prejudice judges at any level.

I agree with that strategy. We've already got one referendum on the ballot in Minnesota. I'd rather take my chances with Olson and Boies than go the voters again. We know that public opinion is increasingly on our side. But, I don't think we need the risk right now. It would be a very, very, very expensive gamble -- and too risky, as far as I'm concerned.

Today, I'm at the Federal Court Building in San Francisco, to watch the hearing on the Prop. 8 proponents motion to vacate Judge Walker's decision -- because Judge Walker has a boyfriend. The first part of the hearing related to a motion by the Prop. 8 side to order a return of the trial tapes. They really don't want anyone to see the actual testimony. Judge Ware, who has taken over Judge Walker's case load, said he will probably deny the motion to order return of tapes.

The hearing then moved on to the motion to vacate. Charles Cooper from the Prop. 8 defendant/intervenors began by trying to define what kind of interest required recusal by a federal judge. He wanted to link the pecuniary interest to other non-pecuniary interests.

Cooper then got into the meat of his argument. He cited the plaintiffs' brief, noting how it read that "at the heart" of the plaintiffs claim is that they are similarly situated to opposite-sex couples in wanting to get married. According to Cooper, "it now appears Judge Walker..occupied those same shoes as the plaintiffs." Cooper said that Walker "was similarly situated to the plaintiffs." That's because he was in a "long-term, committed relationship."

Judge Ware maintained that the plaintiffs wanted to change their relationship to be allowed to marry. He repeatedly asked Cooper for evidence that Walker wanted to change his relationship. There is none. But, Cooper apparently thinks the very fact that Walker didn't disclose his relationship is evidence enough.

Throughout his time, Cooper made it clear that this motion to vacate revolves around the fact that Walker has a boyfriend. To that Ware said, "Long-term relationship is your marker for wanting to marry." But Cooper also argued that if Walker had no interest in marrying his partner, he would have to disclose that too.

I'm livetweeting here. During the break, I ran into AFER's Board Chair Chad Griffin and the organization's Senior Project Director, Adam Umhoefer. AFER is livetweeting here. Courage Campaign's Rick Jacobs is also at the Court House. He's is liveblogging here.

Our side's lawyer, Theodore Boutrous Jr., just started after the break. First line is that this motion is frivolous and offensive. Yep.

As I wrote earlier, I was at the Federal Court House in San Francisco today to watch the hearing on the anti-gay side's motion to vacate the Prop. 8 ruling because of Judge Walker's status as a gay man. There was also a hearing on whether the parties had to return the tapes of the trial. Looks like the Judge already decided not to ask for their return.

The lawyer for the Prop. 8 proponents, Charles Cooper, tried really hard to make his case. He couldn't. As in the Prop. 8 trial, there were no facts to back up his assertions. It was really astounding. Cooper kept saying their motion was about disclosure. It was not. It's about blatant homophobia.

The lawyer for the Prop. 8 proponents, Theodore Boutrous, Jr., was excellent. Olson and Boies get a lot of the attention for this case, but the whole legal team is filled with superstars. I watched him at the press conference following the hearing, too. He said of the other side, "Their claims in support of Proposition 8 are baseless. They had no evidence. That's why they filed this motion. This was a desperate, Hail Mary pass they are throwing because they think they are going to lose. And, they should lose." He also said in court and at the presser several times that this motion is "frivolous." It was. Lawyers get sanctioned for filing those kinds of motions, but Boutrous and his colleagues declined to file a complaint.

Judge Ware told the lawyers that he'd be issuing a written decision within 24 hours.

And, I had a chance to talk to two of the plaintiffs, Paul Katami and Jeff Zarrillo, after the hearing to get their thoughts:

I also met the other two plaintiffs, Kristin Perry and Sandra Stier. I thanked all of them for putting themselves on the line for the rest of us. And, also let them know that there's enormous interest in their case outside of California, too.